From The Age: “[Victoria, Australia] Premier Daniel Andrews on Wednesday pledged to hold a royal commission into the state’s mental health system, in a surprise move he said would address early intervention and better support for families. […]
‘We are so far away from a system that the most vulnerable in our community need and they’re right to demand that of us.’ […]
Indigo Daya, the human rights adviser with the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council, said it was vital a future royal commission also consider the ‘harm and abuse’ that happened to people while in care.
She said a decade spent in and out of psychiatric wards did her more harm than good, as she had electroconvulsive therapy and medication forced on her, but received no counselling.
It was only after she went to a sexual assault centre that she got the help needed to deal with her experience being sexually abused as a child.
‘I truly wish I never went to a mental health service, which is a real indictment on a huge big system that is meant to help people,’ Ms Daya said.”